Tasty vegetarian recipes with a Caribbean influence by Caribbean cookbook author Chris De La Rosa.
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I guess I should start off with the customary Nothing About The Recipe Is Caribbean! That said, this Garlicky Herb Mushrooms was one the most requested recipes last year, after I posted a pic on Instagram. It was only natural that it was part of my #MeatFreeMondays series on YouTube. You’ll Need… 1 lb button…
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, Carilie or Bitter-melon and I (Chris) can NEVER be friends. From day one as a young fella on the islands to my grown self – mom could never get me (nor my siblings) to eat this. Maybe the ONLY way I’ve ever enjoyed Carile is when…
CHOW! A beloved spicy pickle (quick) made in the Southern Caribbean with green mangoes or other tart fruit. Over the years I’ve shared several “chow” recipes with you all. From the traditional mango, to cucumber, orange, apple and the Applewood Smoked Pineapple (still a fav on the website) which was insanely tasty. Like the others,…
If I had a dollar! Jamaican Style steamed cabbage, is probably one of the most requested recipes I get via Instagram, especially from those who have visited Jamaica at some point in their life and have had the pleasure of this simple dish. Not necessarily a “Jamaican” dish, as I’ve had it throughout the Caribbean…
Choka.. a spicy condiment made from roasted vegetables and hot peppers (as hot as you can handle) is one of those delectable vegan dishes we enjoy in the Caribbean. While most chokas are meant to be as spicy as you can tolerate and very basic.. usually made with one vegetable (like eggplant or tomato) ,…
With another season of abundant peppers in my garden and with all the requests for more peppersauce (hot sauce) recipes, I thought I’d share one influenced by the amazing CoCoPine Sauce that my good friend (and chef) Barry B market in the Caribbean. Chef B’s is a bit more complex and it reflects in the…
Without a doubt, Tomato Choka (say .. tomatoes choka) is one of the most tasty ‘simple’ dishes you’ll ever enjoy. In this case, fire roasted (boiled, oven roasted or even microwaved) tomatoes are crushed along with salt, garlic and hot peppers, then thinly sliced onions are added, before heated oil is poured over it all…
After one taste of this mango chow I knew it would be something I’d be addicted to and making very often. On our last trip to the islands, my friend David introduced me to this version of the spicy mango pickle I grew up eating as a young fella on the islands. However, the Chinese…
In the Caribbean our dishes are famous for being cooked low and slow.. some may even argue that we over-cook some of our dishes. However, you really can’t argue once you taste our culinary delights. Such is the case for stewed pigeon peas. Typically if you were using freshly picked pigeon peas, you’d have this cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. The reality is, there are times we just don’t have time and we just want to enjoy something delicious and fulfilling. This pigeon peas recipe is the answer.
As part of our ongoing #MeatFreeMonday series, I’ decided to share a rice recipe my girls and I get excited about. Not something I grew up eating on the islands, but nevertheless made in an ‘island’ influenced kitchen in Canada (smile). Plump grains of rice with a deep and rice tomato and herb flavor and the gentle heat achieved by adding a Bird’s Eye Pepper. This recipe is somewhat similar to the Roasted Tomato Choka And Rice Soup recipe I shared a while back.
If you grew up in the Caribbean, especially the Southern Caribbean, “Chow” would have been a key part of your childhood experience. A spicy pickle loaded with Garlic and Citrus juice, along with Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Usually half-ripe mango is the key ingredient, but we use just about any fruit we can find and when all fails, we even use cucumber. With a good batch of fresh strawberries from my garden (watch the video) and since they were a bit tart, I thought I’d rock a quick chow.
Last fall I did one of my favorite ways to put vegetables from my garden (and fridge) to use, in what I like to refer to as being a Caribbean take on Ratatouille… and I documented it to share with you. Very much like the outstanding Ital food I remember eating as kid at the Ital restaurant in San Fernando Trinidad (Pleasantville / Mon Repos area). While I’m very much a carnivore, this vegan dish is absolutely delicious and something I look forward to making/eating.
